Curriculum

Lauren’s Institute For Educations Private Academy has adopted the following as our base curriculum;

FUNdations

As a recognized leader in multisensory, structured language programs, Wilson brings more than a decade of systematic and explicit instruction to the K-3 classroom. Based on the Wilson Reading System® principles, Wilson Fundations® provides research-based materials and strategies essential to a comprehensive reading, spelling, and handwriting program.

Wilson Fundations makes learning to read fun while laying the groundwork for life-long literacy. Students in grades K-3 receive a systematic program in critical foundational skills, emphasizing:

Phonemic awareness

Phonics/ word study

High frequency word study

Reading fluency

Vocabulary

Comprehension strategies

Handwriting

Spelling

Wilson Reading

The Wilson Reading System® (WRS) is the flagship program of Wilson Language Training® and the foundation of all other Wilson programs. WRS is an intensive Tier 3 program for students in grades 2-12 and adults with word-level deficits who are not making sufficient progress through their current intervention; have been unable to learn with other teaching strategies and require multisensory language instruction; or who require more intensive structured literacy instruction due to a language-based learning disability, such as dyslexia.

As a structured literacy program based on phonological-coding research and Orton-Gillingham principles, WRS directly and systematically teaches the structure of the English language. Through the program, students learn fluent decoding and encoding skills to the level of mastery. From the beginning steps of the program, students receive instruction in:

Phonemic awareness

Decoding and word study

Sight word recognition

Spelling

Fluency

Vocabulary

Oral expressive language development

Comprehension

Guided Reading

What is Guided Reading?

Guided reading is reading out loud to an adult, or other proficient reader, with feedback. This is NOT independent silent reading. The key part to the effectiveness in developing skills is to provide ‘guidance’ to the student. Do not confuse this beneficial teaching tool of true guided reading with various independent reading programs some of which are labeled ‘guided reading’. The process of the student reading out loud with correction and instruction is the essential criteria of guided reading that actually help the student learn and improve skills.

In order to achieve significant beneficial impact on word recognition, fluency and comprehension:

The student must read out loud to an adult (or other proficient reader) and

The adult must provide correction, feedback and instruction on specific skill development.

Why is Guided Reading Important?

The validated research shows that guided out loud reading has significant beneficial impact on word recognition, fluency and comprehension across a range of grade levels.

Guided reading benefits both good and struggling readers. In contrast, silent independent reading may not actually improve reading skills for beginning readers. Numerous studies show the best readers read the most and poor readers read the least. However, these studies are all correlational in nature and correlation does not imply causation. It may just be the good readers just choose to spend more time reading. Although it sounds like a good idea to have children read more alone, there is no research evidence that shows independent silent reading actually improves reading skills. Think about it. If a poor reader is just sitting there flipping pages or struggling with the reading and making errors, their skills will not improve, no matter how much time they sit there. In contrast, guided oral reading instruction is proven to help students improve reading skills. This is NOT saying students should not read on their own, or that there are no benefits for children sitting there looking at books, or that students do not need to read more. Rather, the research clearly demonstrates to improve skills, particularly in learning or remediation stages, the student needs to read out loud with feedback. At more advanced levels, silent reading does improve the higher skills of fluency, vocabulary acquisition and comprehension.

Guided reading has significant beneficial effects on helping student’s develop reading skills. It is one of the most effective tools not only to improve a student’s fundamental reading skills but also to help the student develop higher level comprehension skills. With guided reading you can directly help the student:

establish fundamental skills necessary for proficient reading

identify weaknesses and strengthen specific skills

improve attention to detail

build fluency

expand vocabulary knowledge

develop reading comprehension skills

Foss Science

FOSS Next Generation puts the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) into practice by integrating all three dimensions: the Disciplinary Core Ideas, the Science and Engineering Practices, and the Crosscutting Concepts, all within our classroom-proven tools and strategies to engage students and teachers in enduring experiences that lead to deeper understanding of the natural and designed world.
FOSS Next Generation:

Engages all students with meaningful active learning experiences

Prepares all students to succeed with the NGSS performance expectations

Integrates robust reading and literacy strategies to support the Common Core ELA for all students

Saxon Math is a curriculum for students in grades K–12. The amount of new math content students receives each day is limited and students practice concepts every day. New concepts are developed, reviewed, and practiced cumulatively rather than in discrete chapters or units.